Driving mechanism for universal crankshaft extrusion presses



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DRIVING MECHANISM FOR UNIVERSAL CRANKSHAFT EXTRUSION PRESSES Filed Sept. 22, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jnrenlors,

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DRIVING MECHANISM FOR UNIVERSAL CRANKSHAFT EXTRUSION PRESSES' Filed Sept. 22, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

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DRIVING'MECHANISM FOR UNIVERSAL CRANKSHAFT EXTRUSION PRESSES Filed Sept. 22, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 a f -W g::n I 9/ i a I n I I 7 1r .70 yen/01's Wan-a2 Von D a RP 4 May 9, 1967 w. VOM DORP ETAL 3,313,425

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR UNIVERSAL CRANKSHAFT EXTRUSION PRESSES Filed Spt. 22; 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fly. 4

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United States Patent ()fi ice 3 3,318,425 Patented May 9, 1967 3,318,425 DRIVING MECHANISM FOR UNIVERSAL CRANK- SHAFT EXTRUSION PRESSES Walter vom Dorp, Rheydt, and Georg Weber, Monchen- Gladbach, Germany, assignors to Mannesmann-Meer Aktiengeseilschaft, Monchen-Gladbach, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Sept. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 398,451 2 Claims. (Cl. 192-4) In the course of the present trend towards scientific and-economic management in the construction of rolling mills, one can observe the changeover from special machinery to universal machinery. This changeover results not only in better economy because of the lower price of the plant, but also in better utilization of the plant itself. For instance, the former special straightening machines for elongated rolled material are being steadily replaced by universal straightening machines that is, by machinery for many roll forms.

It is therefore not surprising that similar demands are being made in the field of mechanical extrusion presses. The trend is to set up machinery which permits the economically advantageous processing of different materials, such as metals and non-metals, so that the physical properties, the specific pressures, and permissible shaping speeds of the various materials are taken into consideration.

As the inner construction of the extrusion press and its parts, such as the receiver and the extrusion die which, in some cases includes a core pin, cannot be changed substantially, the designer had to look elsewhere for improvement of the machinery.

It is accordingly among the principal objects of the invention to improve the drive for the crank shaft of the extrusion press, in such a manner that the movements of the crank are variable so that they may conform to the peculiarities of the material to be pressed.

It is a further object of the invention to reduce to a minimum stoppages by employing pivoting receivers.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a driving mechanism for the crank shaft of a universal extrusion press that can carry out various desired controls of the drive of the extrusion press, within a single unit.

It is still another object of the invention to provide such a driving mechanism that permits to vary the speeds of the extrusion die, taking into account the differences in speed between the active and the idling strokes, respectively, of the extrusion die, and which permits the adjustment of the length of stroke for economical working in accordance with the initial length of the ingot.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide such a driving mechanism which includes transmission means for varying the rotary speed of the crank shaft,

rendering it possible to vary the speed of the crank shaft Within a single revolution and, selectively, to change the direction of rotation of the crankshaft also within a single revolution in such a manner that the crank shaft upon change of direction no longer will describe a closed circular path.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide switch means for the aforesaid driving mechanism to aid in carrying out the foregoing objects.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, one embodiment of the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in the specification.

The instant driving mechanism may briefly be stated to comprise the combination of conventional elements which are combined in such a manner as to form a special exchange transmission. This special exchange transmission selectively combines the individual functions of changing the direction of the rotation and of the speed of rotation of the crank shaft and of changing the strokes of the extrusion press; this selective combination is carried out by means of electric contacts and by switches. Thus there is created a particular universal crank shaft driven extrusion press which renders possible the oscillating stroke effect and furthermore renders possible additional changes of the initial speed by means of a regulatable motor.

The individual functions which selectively take place either in succession or simultaneously and that yield new results are triggered by means of coordinated electric contacts and circuits which are set for their expected operation and which activate clutches and brakes, for instance pneumatically.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be best understood from the following description of an exemplification thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein the view of:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of a driving mechanism in accordance with the invention,

FIG. v2 is a lateral view of a press having indicated the drive for the crank shaft,

FIG. 3 is a reproduction of a wiring diagram, and

FIG. 4 represents a connection having branches for two clutches.

In carrying the invention into effect in one of the embodiments which has been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawing and for description in this specification, there is provided a crank shaft 1. The crank shaft '1 is positively connected to two driven gears 2 that are keyed or otherwise mounted on the crank shaft 1 and hence rotate with the crank shaft 1. The driven gears 2 are in mesh with gears 3 that are keyed or otherwise mounted on a fifth shaft 4 and therefore rotate with the shaft 4. On the shaft 4 there are furthermore mounted two gears 5 that mesh with gears 6 that are mounted on a fourth shaft 7. The gears 5 and 6 form a transmission gearing between the shafts 7 and 4.

Two sets of brakes 11 are arranged on the shaft 7; and a series of pinions is arranged, each pinion being mounted on the shaft 7.

In the embodiment illustrated, the aforesaid series of pinions is represented, by way of exemplification, by three pinions 8, 9 and 10 which are, as previously stated, mounted on the shaft 7, and rotate therewith. The pinions 8, 9 and 10 have different diameters and mesh with idler gears of a corresponding series. In the exemplification shown, there are three idler gears 12, 13 and 14 of inversely proportional diameters.

The idler gears 12, 13 and 14 are journalled about a third shaft 18 and normally do not turn with the shaft 18. Clutches 15, 16 and 17 are provided on the shaft 18 which may be operated, each to the exclusion of the others, to connect the respective idler gear to the shaft 18 for rotation therewith. The clutch 15 is assigned to the idler gear 12, the clutch 16 to the idler gear 13 and the clutch 17 to the idler gear 14.

On the shaft 18 there is furthermore mounted a flying gear, that is designated as the third gear bearing the reference numeral 19.

The third gear 19 meshes with idler pinions 20 and 21 which are rotatable about the second and first shafts 24 and 25, respectively. A clutch 23 is provided on the second shaft 24 and is operable to connect the idler pinion 20 with the shaft 24 to rotate therewith; similarly, a clutch 22 is provided on the first shaft 25 and is operable to connect the idler pinion 21 with the shaft 25 for tied rotation therewith.

On the first shaft 25 there is furthermore mounted an energizable driving gear 27 that includes a fly-wheel and which meshes with a second gear 26 that is mounted on the second shaft 24 and also includes a fly-wheel.

On the first shaft 25 there is moreover mounted a pulley over the conductor from the other end of the shaft 18 over the connection 33 being likewise released over magnetic valve. Both brakes 11 on shaft 7 are simultaneously operated by the connection 34, where a magnetic valve is likewise controlling the influence. All these terminals are in connection with the distributor 37 over the circuits 35,

36, which distributor is again connected to pumps or compressors.

Both clutches 22, 23 on the shafts 25, 24 do actuate the terminals 38, 39 by a magnetic valve.

All magnetic valves are controlled by the desk 40 being connected to network 41 and having a contact control shaft 42 closing the respective circuit over corresponding radially different contact points having contact presssure keys 43, whereby the rotation of the contact control shaft 42 is synchronously attuned to the crank shaft 1 over the belt drive 44.

FIG. 4 is showing how the operation of clutch 15 or 16 respectively is alternately controlled over particular channels.

The operation of'the above described driving mechanism is as follows:

The motor (not shown) will drive the pulley 28 by means of the belt. The'pulley 28 will rotate the first shaft 25 and thereby there will be rotated the driving gear 27. As the driving gear 27 meshes with the second gear 26 that is mounted on the second shaft 24, the shafts 25.

and 24 will turn in opposite directions. As the third gear 19 meshes with both idler pinions 20 and 21, actuation of the clutch 23 will connect the idler pinion 20 with the shaft 24 and will cause rotation'of the third gear 19 and thereby of the shaft 18 in one direction of rotation; while actuation of the clutch 22 instead will cause rotation of the shaft 18 in the opposite direction.

Operation of any of the clutches 15, 16 or 17 will determine which of the idler gears 12, 13 or 14 will transmit the power to the respective meshing pinion 8, 9 or 10,

thereby determining the speed of rotation of the shaft 7. The power will further be transmitted from the shaft 7 a to theshaft 4 by means of the transmission gearing which includes the gears 5 and 6. The power will ultimately be transmitted from the shaft 4 to the crank shaft 1 by means of the gears 3 and the pair of driven gears 2.

The brakes 11 when operated act to brake the speed of the shaft 7. As the shaft 7, as previously described, is throughout positively connected to the crank shaft 1,

namely by means of the gears 6, 5, 3 and 2, the operation of the brakes 11 will thus brake the rotation of the crank shaft 1.

In the following there are set forth examples of operation of the above described driving mechanism, in connection with various extrusion problems.

(a) Extrusion of steel into continuous hollow bodies Set-up: Minimal extrusion speed of the transmission for the extrusion operation, and double speed for the return stroke.The power is transmitted to the shaft 25 whereby the gears 26 and 27, as previously explained, revolve with their fly-wheels continuously in opposite revolving directions. The clutch 22 is actuated whereby the gear 21 is now driven and by way of the gear 19 drives the shaft'18p The clutch 15 is actuated whereby the idler gear 12 is driven, while the other clutches 16 and 17 are tie-activated. The idler gear 12 now transmits rotational movement to the pinion 8 and thereby to the shaft 7 and thence, as previously explained, to the crank shaft 1.

After completion of the extrusion stroke, the mechanism is changed in such a manner that the clutch 15 is disconnected from the idler gear 12 and instead the clutch 16 is connected to the idler gear 13, whereby the speed of the movement of the crank shaft 1 increases, for instance is doubled, depending on the transmission ratio between the idler gear 13 and the pinion 9.

After completion of the circular path of the crank shaft 1, the brakes 11 will be actuated simultaneously with the switch of operation of the clutches 15 and 16. The brakes 11 will retard the speed of the idling stroke, and will automatically be de-activated when the active stroke commences again, While the driving and second gears 27, 26 continue their rotary movement.

The respective contact pressure keys must be impressed, viZ.: I K15 IV K17 III B11 V K23 (b) Extrusion of light metal Set-up: Median speed during the extrusion stroke; maximum speed of the transmission during the return stroke (without change of the r.p.m. of the motor).The clutch 22 is connected to the idler pulley 21, the clutch 16 to the idler gear 13 for the extrusion stroke, and the clutch 17 to the idler gear 14 for the return stroke. The other clutches on the shaft 18 are de-activated and hence idle.

(c) Extrusion of an ingot of changed length requiring a change in the length of the stroke (d) Changes of transmission speed by regulatable motor As previously stated, a regulatable motor may be employed to change the. speed of the driving gear 27, thereby increasing the range of speeds that may be transmitted to the crank shaft 1.

Certain of the advantages of the invention have already been herein referred to. It may be useful, however, to allude particularly at this point to the advantage of the unification in a single aggregate of control means for power transmission for an extrusion press which previously did not exist in such concentrated, unified form. It enables the control of a universal crank shaft extrusion press, rendering possible to provide at competitive costs an economical machine for even large extrusion forces and for operation on different materials, at an improved rate of production.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a driving mechanism, for use in connection with a universal crank shaft extrusion press including a rotatable crank shaft operable to produce active and, respectively, idling strokes of the extrusion die, the combination of a primary pair of primary driven gears adapted to be in driving connection with said crank shaft, an energizable primary driving gear, and a power transmission connected between said primary driving gear and said primary driven gears and including a series of secondary gears comprising secondary driving gears and a secondary driven gear in mesh with each of said secondary driving gears and forming therewith a meshing secondary gear pair, the secondary driving gear of each secondary pair being releasably actuatable to be rotated and thereby to transmit rotary energy to the secondary driven gear, and control means including brakes and clutches arranged in connection with certain of said secondary gears and operable selectively to actuate some of the secondary gears of said power transmission and, respectively, to de-activate others, adapted thereby to adjust the rotary speed of said crank shaft for changing the ratio of the rotational speeds of said crank shaft during the active and idling strokes, to change the size of the angle of rotation of the crank shaft during the active strokes and, respectively, the idling strokes, and to change the direction of rotation of the crank shaft, said pn'mary driving gear being operable to be driven at variable speed, said power transmission and primary driving and primary driven gears comprising a first shaft, said driving gear being mounted on said first shaft and including a fly-wheel, a second shaft, a second gear including a fly-wheel and being mounted on said second shaft and in mesh with said primary driving gear, whereby said first and second shafts rotate in opposite directions, an idler pinion freely rotatable on each of said first and second shafts, a clutch for each pinion mounted on each of said first and second shafts, a third shaft, a third gear mounted on said third shaft and being disposed between and meshing with both said pinions, each of said clutches being operable to connect for rotation its pinion to the respective shaft alternatively, thereby to rotate said third shaft selectively in either of the two opposite directions, a series of clutches and idler secondary gears of different diameter assigned thereto mounted on said third shaft, whereby one of said idler secondary gears of said series may selectively releasably be connected to said third shaft, a Series of pinions meshing with said idler secondary gears of said series, a fourth shaft mounting said series of pinions, brakes mounted on said fourth shaft, a fifth shaft, transmission secondary gearing operatively connecting said fourth and fifth shafts and being in driving connection with said primary driven gears, said fourth shaft thereby being in positive driving connection with said crank shaft, so that energization of said brakes will brake the rotation of said crank shaft.

2. The combination with a universal crank shaft extrusion press including a rotatable crank shaft operable to produce active and, respectively, idling. strokes of the extrusion die, of a primary pair of primary driven gears adapted to be in driving connection with said crank shaft, an energizable primary driving gear, and a power transmission connected between said primary driving gear and said primary driven gears and including a series of secondary gears comprising secondary driving gears and a secondary driven gear in mesh with each of said secondary driving gears and forming therewith a meshing secondary gear pair, the secondary driving gear of each secondary pair being releasably actuatable to be rotated and thereby to transmit rotary energy to the secondary driven gear, and control means including brakes and clutches arranged in connection with certain of said secondary gears and operable selectively to actuate some of the secondary gears of said power transmission and, respectively, to de-activate others, adapted thereby to adjust the rotary speed of said crank shaft for changing the ratio of the rotational speeds of said crank shaft during the active and idling strokes, to change the size of the angle of rotation of the crank shaft during the active strokes and, respectively, the idling strokes, and to change the direction of rotation of the crank shaft, said primary driving gear being operable to be driven at variable speed, said power transmission and said primary driving and primary driven gears comprising a first shaft, said primary driving gear being mounted on said first shaft and including a fiy-wheel, a second shaft, a second gear including a fly-wheel and being mounted on said second shaft and in mesh with said primary driving gear, whereby said first and second shafts rotate in opposite directions, an idler pinion freely rotatable on each of said first and second shafts, a clutch for each pinion mounted on each of said first and second shafts, a third shaft, a third gear mounted on said third shaft and being disposed between and meshing with both said pinions, each of said clutches being operable to connect for rotation its pinion to the respective shaft alternatively, thereby to rotate said third shaft selectively in either of the two opposite directions, a series of clutches and idler secondary gears of different diameter assigned thereto mounted on said third shaft, whereby one of said idler secondary gears of said series may selectively releasably be connected to said third shaft, a series of pinions meshing with said idler secondary gears of said series, a fourth shaft mounting said series of pinions, brakes mounted on said fourth shaft, a fifth shaft, transmission secondary gearing operatively connecting said fourth and fifth shafts and being in driving connection with said primary driven gears, said fourth shaft thereby being in positive driving connection with said crank shaft, so that energization of said brakes will brake the rotation of said crank shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,766,639 10/1956 Rosenberger 19218.1 2,912,084 11/1959 Meyercordt 192-4 3,071,982 1/1963 Beer 74359 3,073,423 1/1963 Lee et al. 1924 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A DRIVING MECHANISM, FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A UNIVERSAL CRANK SHAFT EXTRUSION PRESS INCLUDING A ROTATABLE CRANK SHAFT OPERABLE TO PRODUCE ACTIVE AND, RESPECTIVELY, IDLING STROKES OF THE EXTRUSION DIE, THE COMBINATION OF A PRIMARY PAIR OF PRIMARY DRIVEN GEARS ADAPTED TO BE IN DRIVING CONNECTION WITH SAID CRANK SHAFT, AN ENERGIZABLE PRIMARY DRIVING GEAR, AND A POWER TRANSMISSION CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID PRIMARY DRIVING GEAR AND SAID PRIMARY DRIVEN GEARS AND INCLUDING A SERIES OF SECONDARY GEARS COMPRISING SECONDARY DRIVING GEARS AND A SECONDARY DRIVEN GEAR IN MESH WITH EACH OF SAID SECONDARY DRIVING GEARS AND FORMING THEREWITH A MESHING SECONDARY GEAR PAIR, THE SECONDARY DRIVING GEAR OF EACH SECONDARY PAIR BEING RELEASABLY ACTUATABLE TO BE ROTATED AND THEREBY TO TRANSMIT ROTARY ENERGY TO THE SECONDARY DRIVEN GEAR, AND CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING BRAKES AND CLUTCHES ARRANGED IN CONNECTION WITH CERTAIN OF SAID SECONDARY GEARS AND OPERABLE SELECTIVELY TO ACTUATE SOME OF THE SECONDARY GEARS OF SAID POWER TRANSMISSION AND, RESPECTIVELY, TO DE-ACTIVATE OTHERS, ADAPTED THEREBY TO ADJUST THE ROTARY SPEED OF SAID CRANK SHAFT FOR CHANGING THE RATIO OF THE ROTATIONAL SPEEDS OF SAID CRANK SHAFT DURING THE ACTIVE AND IDLING STROKES, TO CHANGE THE SIZE OF THE ANGLE OF ROTATION OF THE CRANK SHAFT DURING THE ACTIVE STROKES AND, RESPECTIVELY, THE IDLING STROKES, AND TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF THE CRANK SHAFT, SAID PRIMARY DRIVING GEAR BEING OPERABLE TO BE DRIVEN AT VARIABLE SPEED, SAID POWER TRANSMISSION AND PRIMARY DRIVING AND PRIMARY DRIVEN GEARS COMPRISING A FIRST SHAFT, SAID DRIVING GEAR BEING MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST SHAFT AND INCLUDING A FLY-WHEEL, A SECOND SHAFT, A SECOND GEAR INCLUDING A FLY-WHEEL AND BEING MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND SHAFT AND IN MESH WITH SAID PRIMARY DRIVING GEAR, WHEREBY SAID FIRST AND SECOND SHAFTS ROTATE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, AN IDLER PINION FREELY ROTATABLE ON EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SHAFTS, A CLUTCH FOR EACH PINION MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SHAFTS, A THIRD SHAFT, A THIRD GEAR MOUNTED ON SAID THIRD SHAFT AND BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN AND MESHING WITH BOTH SAID PINIONS, EACH OF SAID CLUTCHES BEING OPERABLE TO CONNECT FOR ROTATION ITS PINION TO THE RESPECTIVE SHAFT ALTERNATIVELY, THEREBY TO ROTATE SAID THIRD SHAFT SELECTIVELY IN EITHER OF THE TWO OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, A SERIES OF CLUTCHES AND IDLER SECONDARY GEARS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETER ASSIGNED THERETO MOUNTED ON SAID THIRD SHAFT, WHEREBY ONE OF SAID IDLER SECONDARY GEARS OF SAID SERIES MAY SELECTIVELY RELEASABLY BE CONNECTED TO SAID THIRD SHAFT, A SERIES OF PINIONS MESHING WITH SAID IDLER SECONDARY GEARS OF SAID SERIES, A FOURTH SHAFT MOUNTING SAID SERIES OF PINIONS, BRAKES MOUNTED ON SAID FOURTH SHAFT, A FIFTH SHAFT, TRANSMISSION SECONDARY GEARING OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID FOURTH AND FIFTH SHAFTS AND BEING IN DRIVING CONNECTION WITH SAID PRIMARY DRIVEN GEARS, SAID FOURTH SHAFT THEREBY BEING IN POSITIVE DRIVING CONNECTION WITH SAID CRANK SHAFT, SO THAT ENERGIZATION OF SAID BRAKES WILL BRAKE THE ROTATION OF SAID CRANK SHAFT. 